Department of Endocrinology @ Policlinico San Donato

The Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases Department at Policlinico San Donato consists of two Outpatient services Units: The Diabetes and Metabolism Unit, and the Endocrinology Unit, in addition to the two Inpatient wards: The Endocrinology ward, and the Nutritional Rehabilitation ward.

The Department is led by Professor Livio Luzi, and three dedicated Supervisors coordinate clinical activities within each Medical Area (Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Nutrition). A total of four Endocrinologists, one Diabetologist, one Internal Medicine Specialist, one Dietician, and two Nutritional Biologists work in the team.  Eleven nurses (1 Research Nurse and 10 Clinical nurses) collaborate in the inpatient and outpatient clinics.

The Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases Department offers clinical services to patients affected by diabetes (type 1 and type 2), obesity, thyroid diseases (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer), parathyroid disorders, adrenal glands disorders, osteoporosis, pituitary gland disorders and hypogonadism.

A Research group led by Professor Livio Luzi, is also part of the Department, running cutting-edge research projects on innovative obesity treatment such as Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, diabetes, cardiovascular complications and thyroid disorders.

• BOD POD Body Composition System (Cosmed, Italy): air displacement plethysmography, analyses body composition in terms of fat and lean mass.   
• Indirect calorimeter (QuarkRMR Cosmed, Italy): it is used to measure the resting energy expenditure through the calculation of the respiratory quotient.
• Infrared camera (Avio model R500Ex-Pro thermal imaging camera): infrared thermography is used to analyse abdominal skin, fingernail-bed hand and interscapular skin temperature in patients with obesity enrolled in our experimental protocol (Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation).
• Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator:  innovative and non-invasive neuromodulation technology (dopaminergic system) to treat obesity through the use of an external helmet.